God Taps a Leader on the Shoulder for Prison Ministry

God Tapped Me on the Shoulder

God was preparing me for what I would hear and experience at the 2014 Global Leadership Summit.

I’ve been serving on the Employment Services team at Willow Creek. Last spring, my ministry leader asked a question at a team meeting: “I wonder if anyone on our team might be inclined or interested in getting more involved with prison and jail ministry?”

She got me thinking, and then God tapped me on the shoulder.

God, What Are You Doing?

Before the Summit, I volunteered at Statesville Prison to help sign up Dads to receive Angel Tree Christmas gifts, and God began to move in my heart. I registered to attend the Summit in the Lakeside Auditorium at the main campus at Willow Creek in South Barrington, and was moved to Willow’s Main Auditorium where I ended up sitting right in front of several Kane County Prison guards who were attending the Summit. I was blown away, and just thought, “God, what are you doing?”

It felt like God prompting me to take a next step in the prison ministry.

Summit Promptings

During the Summit, I was moved by speakers who confirmed this calling on my heart:

Once a problem in your community is revealed we must fill in a gap to the glory of God.  Get out of the huddle!—Pastor Wilfredo De Jesus

When you feel your weakest is when you truly are your strongest.—Ivan Satyavrata

The highest call of a leader is about unlocking the potential in others.—Carly Fiorina

Because of the Summit, and the promptings I received, I started attending Prison & Jail Ministry monthly meetings at Willow. I listened, and asked others for input and prayer. I wanted to be sure God was leading me to get more involved.

A Miracle Story

I met a woman at one of the meetings in early October (who had just come home after serving eight years at Logan). Because I serve on the Employment Services team, I invited her to come. She did, and I was able to help her with her resume. She also connected with one of our temporary agencies at “Wednesday are Workdays” in the Care Center, and by the end of the month, she has secured a position. God had His hand on this! It doesn’t happen this quickly most of the time. This is a miracle story! She is now involved in the jail ministry and attends Willow. She had actually received a gift pack at Christmas, was so touched, and knew then that she would seek out Willow when she got out of prison.  Only God.

Seeing her get a job and watching her thrive—with God’s help—inspires me and helps me know that God might use me again to help others in the future.

I feel like God is confirming each tiny step I take.

My Stretch of Faith for 2015

I signed up to be part of the McHenry County Jail Team, and have gone into the prison several times now. I’m shadowing more seasoned people until I am equipped to be able to go in on my own one day. Actually, that’s my stretch of faith for 2015…and it feels like a really big stretch to me. Since I also serve as a team leader and a one-to-one counselor on the Employment Services, I hope to be able to help more people with job opportunities after they are released. I am also doing a Bible study next month at McHenry Jail on finding your identity in Christ. Perhaps I will plant a seed with somebody for the future, and help them think about rededicating their life to Christ, or tell them how to come to Him for the first time.  Whatever God wants to happen…one person at a time.

My favorite part of being in prison ministry is being able to share the hope and love of Jesus with women and tell them that they matter to God and that NOTHING they did or will do, will EVER change that!

-Mary Berthiaume, Summit attendee since 2000

Is God tapping you on the shoulder? Tell us your story!